When busily engaged in scooping off the bark in search of its insect food, it may be approached very closely; and if one be shot, the remainder of the company will fly round for a short distance and perch on the neighbouring trees, until the whole are brought down, if you are desirous of so doing.
Its note is very singular,—a kind of whining call, which it is impossible to describe, but which somewhat resembles the syllables Wy-la, whence the native name.
The eggs, which are white and two in number, about one inch and five-eighths long by one inch and three-eighths broad, are deposited on the rotten wood in the hollow branch of a large gum.
Caley mentions that this bird has a habit of cutting off the smaller branches of the apple-trees (Anophoræ), apparently from no other than a mischievous motive.
The sexes are very nearly alike, and may be thus described:—
The general plumage brownish black, glossed with green, particularly on the head; feathers of the body, both above and beneath, narrowly margined with brown; ear-coverts dull wax-yellow; all but the two central tail-feathers crossed in the centre by a broad band, equal to half their length, of brimstone-yellow, thickly freckled with irregular zigzag markings of brownish black; the external web of the outer primary on each side, and the margin of the external web of the other banded feathers, brownish black; bill black in some and white in others, the latter being probably young birds; eyes blackish brown; feet mealy blackish brown; orbits in some black, in others pinkish red, and in others whitish.
The figure is about two-thirds of the natural size.
CALYTORHYNCHUS XANTHONOTUS: Gould.
J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp.